Coronavirus: NRL agree on recovery plan with clubs as season remains suspended

The NRL have agreed on a recovery plan for the 16 clubs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak suspending the 2020 season.

It was announced by Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) chairman Peter V’landys along with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg on Monday, which will see the NRL will pay a total of $40 million in monthly grant payments to the clubs.

This will be paid in increments between April and October as the organisation looks to cover their ongoing operational costs with the season still in limbo.

V'landys was optimistic that the season would re-start sooner rather than later, believing that the plan ensures the clubs future for the foreseeable future.

“We have a consolidated plan and working with the Clubs and the players, are united in our efforts to do all we can to protect rugby league,” V’landys said in a statement.

“We had no option but to stop the competition in the wake of advice from our Biosecurity and pandemic expert but remain optimistic that the season will restart as quickly as possible, ideally by July 1.

"If that isn’t possible, then we need to be prepared for that option as well and are making the tough financial decisions now to reduce costs to ensure we get through this crisis.”

Within this model, it proposes that the clubs have sufficient resources to survive a proposed 20-week competition, including final series and Origin, along with the worst-case scenario in the form of no further games in 2020.